Sleep Over
by Aikyo
Summary: Seiji offered to watch Shin's kids and Shu's daughter, and along with his own children >) Havoc insues


Sleep Over  
  
*Author's only comment: Poor Troopers  
  
Shin sighed as he carried down his youngest daughter in one arm and two rather large suitcases in the other. This idea was ludicrous, idiotic, irrational, and downright stupid in his mind. If it weren't for the few days away from the kids and away from work he wouldn't have agreed to ship them all the way to Sendai. Of course he had no idea how Nari could have talked Seiji into letting them house four extra children along with their personal two.  
  
"Did you pack all the cloths she and Shinji wanted?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Yuri looked up from her task of catch and dress the sugar high Shinji. "And you made sure that everything was warm right? And you made sure she had everything?"  
  
"Yes. I did." He continued to watch his wife's slow victory of dressing the hyper young boy into the winter clothing.  
  
"Thankyou."  
  
"You want me to do that?"  
  
"No. I have him. Shinji hold still."  
  
"Mom! I can't breath!"  
  
Shin only sighed as Sanae giggled in his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. She would wait patiently for her turn to get dressed by mom. Shinji on the other hand was still fighting valiantly to escape the clutches of the older woman; he had not learned that it was hopeless to fight her by now. Shin set Sanae down in the small blue chair next to the battlefield and set the two suitcases down as well. "Stay here I'm going to go find your sister."  
  
"Make sure she packed enough too. And don't forget we need to leave in a few minutes if we want to make it on time."  
  
"Hai koi." He shook his head hearing his son whine and squirm as he ascended the stairs once again. Shin put his hands in his pockets as he approached the small room. He could hear music coming from the radio as it spilled from the small crack in the door. He hesitated for only a second before pushing the door in with his foot and reaching his auburn head into the room. He listened to the song that was playing from the radio. Machiawase wa yoru myu-jiku jamu no mae da yo woo...fantasy kyouryuu o chotto mezame sasete myou yo woo...mystery boku ga tsukutta kusari no iryoku o misete ageyou. (Midnight Party song. Translation: Waiting last night, in front of a music jam Woo...fantasy Saw a dinosaur awaken a little Woo...mystery  I made some medicine  Watch me give some to)**  
  
"Aikyo. It's about time to go. Are you ready?" Shin smiled as the dancing ten year old stopped in her tracks and smiled brightly at him.  
  
"Almost!" Her silver blue hair spun around her in a tight ponytail as she proceeded to dance around.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked, and yet was afraid to know the answer.  
  
"I'm practicing!" The young girl exclaimed.  
  
Shin raised an eyebrow. "For what?"  
  
"For when we danced tonight at the Date's! Me and Tanria like to! "  
  
Shin suddenly felt very bad for his friend that was receiving not only his children but one of Shu's children also. But not bad enough that he wasn't going to send his children on their happy way to Seiji's. One couldn't blame a man for wanting a few days alone in Tokyo with his wife now could they?  
  
"Ok. That is enough. You have everything packed?"  
  
The small girl suddenly stopped her energetic twirl and bit her lip. "Umm. No Daddy."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It won't all fit!" Aikyo pouted sticking out her bottom lip and lowering her head.  
  
"How could it not? It's only three days?"  
  
"I'll show you!" The energized girl ran over to the closed suitcase and opened it. It snapped open with a clip, snap, and pop and Shin's own head dropped as he quickly scanned the items.  
  
"Aikyo." He shook his head and sat on the bed next to the mountain extruding from the case. "What is all this?"  
  
"It's movies and books and tapes and my dolls and my crayons and my hair brushes and my favorite candy and my play purse and my-"  
  
"Where's all your clothes Aikyo?"  
  
"That's what I said Daddy it won't all fit!"  
  
He only sighed and looked at the small dolphin clock on her dresser. He perhaps had five minutes before Yuri came up and started to claim prisoners.  
  
"Let's see if I can help ok?" He saw her nod rapidly and climb next to the opposite side of the suitcase.  
  
"Why don't we leave some of these things here?" He slowly took out a few of the half dozen dolls and crayons.  
  
"But Daddy what happens if I need one of them!"  
  
"Aikyo I think they will have crayons and books for you to color in and borrow. And you don't need all these dolls."  
  
"But what happens if they don't have pretty pictures to color like I do?" Aikyo sat back on her heels and pouted again trying to give him her best puppy dog look. He had only fell for that once and as he remembered he regretted giving into her later.  
  
"Ano…Aikyo on second thought why don't you go downstairs and help your mother." Shin reached over and picked her up then placed her on the ground.  
  
"Why Daddy?"  
  
"Because she might need some help with the twins."  
  
"You going to pack for me?" Her voice was cheerful and innocent, if only she knew how much he was going to have to take out of the clown suitcase she had.  
  
"Hai," he nodded, "I shall pack for you. Don't worry you'll have everything you need."  
  
"Ok." She smiled and bounded off for the stairs. He turned back to the room and quickly dumped the suitcases innards onto the bed. Shin then turned to the small dresser and pulled out some random clothing. He thanked whatever God there was that Yuri always put the children's cloths in matching sets. It made this job quicker and easier. At the end of the long battle he was able to pack the needed clothes, undergarments, and night outfits too sustain his oldest for at least three days, he hoped. Shin packed what he could of the toys and needed accessories then headed back to the living room.  
  
As he arrived he saw each of his children sitting on the couch with coats and other winter accessories wrapped around them. Shinji had finally submitted and sat in a defeated state next to his twin.  
  
"What took you so long?"  
  
"Just a few minor adjustments to Aikyo's packing is all. All the lights are off upstairs too before you ask."  
  
"Thankyou." The small woman buzzed by him and into a different room.  
  
"Daddy- I'm hot."  
  
"Daddy- I'm itchy."  
  
"Daddy- I have to go to the bathroom."  
  
He ran a hand through his hair. "Shinji it will be cold outside though. Sanae you'll get use to it. Hurry Aikyo, we're going to leave soon."  
  
The oldest slipped from her station and ran over to him tugging on his arm. "Daddy. I need help. I can't get out of it." She whispered.  
  
"Turn around." Shin came down to one knee and quickly unfastened the ties and zippers that her small hands couldn't reach. He smiled and pushed her forward some. "Alright now hurry."  
  
He stood back up and went to get his jacket as well as Yuri's from the closet. They needed to meet everyone at Osaka by dinnertime so they could exchange children and vehicles. He knew that they would need to give Seiji the van with so many children. There would not have been any way they could of fit six children in the Barracuda.  
  
"Are we all ready?" Yuri asked as she put Aikyo back together.  
  
"Hai. Let's hurry. I don't think the kids will last too much longer in the clothes." He handed over her coat.  
  
"They'll be fine!" She smiled and picked up the twins in her arms. "And you're driving."  
  
"Hai." He opened the door for them first before he went to pick up the three suitcases.  
  
"Aikyo- don't pull at that string. Sanae- don't fall asleep we're not even in the car yet. Shinji don't squirm like that."  
  
"I'm hot Mommy."  
  
"Well you're going to go see some snow so you need to be warm."  
  
"But I more than warm."  
  
"Oh…"  
  
Shin started the van and headed back into the house to turn off the final lights and lock the doors. He had a feeling the next few minutes on the trip were going to make his reservations about the idea of shipping his children to Sendai fade quickly.  
  
~^*~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*~^*~^~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*^~*^~*~^*  
  
Aikyo cracked an eye open as she woke up from her nap. A shiver ran down her back and she suddenly remembered that they were now on their way to Sendai. She pressed her small cheek against the van window and smiled at the small flakes. There was not much of a winter in southern Japan. Tanria smiled at her from her seat beside her. She had been playing her video game when Aikyo had fallen asleep and was still playing it.  
  
She turned around and looked at the four sleeping figures behind them. Her siblings, Midori, the loud funny Uncle Shu's daughter, and Tanria's brother were all out also.  
  
"How much longer?" Aikyo rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Don't know. I'll find out." Tanria leaned forward. "Mommy... How much lo- nger? I'm bored."  
  
"We're almost home, now sit back." Tanria's mom said without looking up from her book.  
  
"You said that before everyone went to sleep." Tanria whined.  
  
"Tanria, shush."  
  
"Sit back Tanria, we'll be home in a about a half an hour." Aikyo saw Tanria sit back and shrug.  
  
"Hai Tousan."  
  
"How long is a half an hour?" Aikyo whispered.  
  
Tanria made a thoughtful face. "Not sure. We're just learning time. But I know it can be really long when Mommy says it."  
  
"Oh…" Aikyo nodded and peeked at the game in the other child's hand. "What's that?"  
  
"Just got it. Mommy thinks it's dumb but Daddy lets me play with it." She handed the rather large video game over to Aikyo's hands. Aikyo stared at it for only a moment before turning the game on. It was simple distraction for the two girls as they rode on.  
  
Nari looked over her shoulder briefly and let out a small irritated sigh. She placed her book across her lap in order to free her hands to rub away the sleep creeping into her eyes. Her outfit was of practicality, but encompassed style. Her small stature and porcelain skin contrasted against her red hair and teal attire.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
She gave her husband an indignant look from her right shoulder. "Why do you let her play with those games?"  
  
Seiji gave her a wry smile as he drove through the borders of Sendai. "Do not worry. You told me to be more lenient on them lately, so I have."  
  
"Hai. But you don't have to listen to them arguing over the stupid thing."  
  
He only shook his head and flipped on the windshield wipers to detour the light snowfall. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle them tomorrow alone while I'm in the dojo?"  
  
She picked up her book again and brushed a few stubborn auburn looks away. "Course I will. Besides they'll all sleep tonight once we get in."  
  
"A long boring drive usually does that to a child."  
  
Nari lowered her book from her eyes and looked over at him once more. "Tell me did your parents drive you around in a car to get you to sleep?"  
  
She could tell the question caught him off guard as he arched a golden eyebrow. "Iie."  
  
"Just wondering." Her book was replaced quickly. And they drove in silence for a short time. The scenery changed quickly to more rural parts of Sendai. The ground was lightly dusted with snow and the trees glistened with light frost.  
  
"Why did you ask that?"  
  
"I was just wondering if maybe you're love for racing came from spending too much time in a car." The book didn't leave the focused eyes and hid her thin grin.  
  
"Hmm…" Seiji just shook his head again as they drove onto the Date land. Nari took it as his wise submission for the night as a discussion similar to that always seemed to end loudly. With four sleeping children it could wait for a later time.  
  
In the mist of darkness and snow the lights from the dojo shown brightly from inside. The lanterns, which burned outside, were blown from side to side with only their paint and paper protecting them from the cold wind.  
  
"How are we going to get all these kids in?"  
  
"I'll carry the three in back in and come out to the van to get the suitcases afterwards. You should take Shiko; although, he won't make so much noise if you do it."  
  
"It's cold out."  
  
"I'll be fine. I'm use to worse." Seiji just gave her a smile as he pulled the van to a stop.  
  
"Men." Was Nari's only word to her husband as she book marked and closed her book. "Tanria help Aikyo with her things into the house and get ready for bed."  
  
"But ma.."  
  
"It's too late tonight to do any more Tanria. Listen to your mother."  
  
"Hai Daddy…" Nari watched her daughter give the oldest Mouri child a shrug before exiting the van. She couldn't help but smile as Aikyo stopped and found the snow interesting before Tanria grabbed her hand, dragging back into the house. Seiji had already made his way to the back door and was collecting the two sleeping Mouri twins and Shu Midori.  
  
Shiko had already opened his eyes feeling the chill wind blow into the once warm van. She picked him up quickly and grabbed a few stray bags herself before heading inside.  
  
"We home Mama?"  
  
"Hai Shiko. Go back to sleep." Nari adjusted the boy's weight in her arms, faintly forgetting how much weight the young boy had gained in his last growth spurt. She let out a small yelp as she tripped over the girls' strewn shoes at the doorway.  
  
"Kaasan!" She heard her daughter call from above. "Aikyo stay in my room tonight?"  
  
"Hai, but only tonight!" Her words were short spoken as she heard the door slam. She kicked the shoes to one side so Seiji wouldn't have a similar surprise. She withheld a growl and walked Shiko up to his own room and laid him down in bed. Out of motherly practice she had her son undressed, in pj's, tucked in with a good night kiss, and turned on the nightlight in under three minutes. Nari quickly found herself outside Tanria's bedroom door and walked in unannounced as planned. The jumping on the bed party was cut short by her level glare.  
  
"Ummm…" Tanria tried her best to look innocent as a youja in a Shinto temple.  
  
"Bed. Now."  
  
"Yes Mommy."  
  
"Hai Aunt Nari!" Aikyo chimed in quickly and raced towards her already opened and disarrayed suitcase.  
  
"Will Daddy tuck us in?" Tanria ran up to her mother.  
  
"Maybe. Now into nightgowns and settle down."  
  
She closed the door behind her knowing that the noise would start up by the time they had the other children accommodated.  
  
Nari came down the stairs and gave her husband another look. The shoes were already put into neat pairs and the small suitcases in alignment. "You have everything inside already?"  
  
He nodded and finished hanging his coat up. "They're all on the couch, dead to the world. I was almost tempted to leave them there if there wasn't a danger of one of them falling off."  
  
Nari withheld any curt comment she had and only nodded before handing Seiji her own coat to hang up.  
  
"We'll just stick Shinji with Shiko and put Sanae and Midori in the guest bedroom. And your daughter has requested you for the ritual 'tucking in' upstairs."  
  
"Jumping on the bed already?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"I'll take care of it." Seiji easily collected the two girls in his arms again and turned towards the bedroom.  
  
Nari lifted Shinji and smiled as the small auburn haired child sucked on his thumb. "You think the twins will mind sleeping alone for one night?"  
  
"We'll find out. But I don't think it will be a problem." He headed up the stairs in ghostly silence and into the tiny guest room off to the right of the hallway.  
  
Seiji left the door cracked partly so the girls wouldn't panic too much if they were to awaken during the night. He heard the door to his own room close, meaning Nari had already taken care of Shinji and Shiko. Glancing down at his watch he saw that it was getting close to midnight now.  
  
He made his appearance in his daughter's room, once again, catching the girls jumping on the bed and then doing their best to look innocent.  
  
"When will you be home tomorrow?"  
  
"After I get done with work as usual."  
  
"Can't you take a day off, Daddy?"  
  
"Iie. Now go to sleep."  
  
"Night Uncle Seiji!" Aikyo smiled from her long silver bangs, which did not reach her ponytail quite yet.  
  
"Don't forget the nightlight Daddy." Tanria whispered lowly.  
  
"I won't. Now go to sleep." He rose from the bed and turned on the alleged nightlight and left the door open. His daughter knew that if they'd try to get up in the middle of the night he would hear them and be at the door quickly. Old habits died hard and came in handy with hyperactive children.  
  
"Everyone's put to sleep and all the nightlights are on." He said as he stepped into his bedroom. Nonetheless his words were to dead air as he saw Nari asleep on the bed. Her book laid open on top of the nightstand in all intention and reason to be read as her sleeping hand rested on top of it. Her long red hair was a-strewn across her face and she was half covered by the sheets and comforters, wearing one of his few t-shirts again. Seiji silently turned off the lights in the room and finished putting his wife to bed, tucking her in and giving her a small kiss. 5 a.m. would arrive quickly.  
  
~^*~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*~^*~^~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*^~*^~*~^*  
  
"Shin-chama…" A soft alto voice called from beside him with a light splash to the face to accompany it.  
  
Shin blinked up at his wife's disheartened voice. "Hai?"  
  
"Where are you?" A small splash came from the hot tub again with a frown.  
  
He placed his sake glass aside and sighed. "I'm sorry."  
  
Yuri slowly ran her wet fingers through his hair, tucking the longer strands behind his ears.  
  
"Shin the children will be fine."  
  
He smiled and nodded silently as he leaned back into the warm water. He couldn't help feeling slightly guilty.  
  
"Besides they're with the Date's. The worse thing that could happen is we get our children back and they're stark raving mad Kendo enthusiasts, who like sporty cars and racing. Though I make no promises for Aikyo-chan."  
  
Shin laughed and nodded. "Hai hai. I'll relax."  
  
"I hope so. You're in a hot tub with your wife, in Tokyo, not paying attention, and I'm feeling very neglected." Yuri pouted leaning her head against the tub's edge.  
  
"You don't have to be." He pulled her closer and smiled.  
  
She tilted her head to the side. "I don't?"  
  
"No." He kissed her gently and smiled as her cheeks blushed.  
  
"Should we get out of the hot tub?"  
  
Shin only continued to smile as he pulled her closer. "Hmmm… No."  
  
~^*~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*~^*~^~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*^~*^~*~^*  
  
Seiji walked through the snow silently and happily. The two-mile walk to and from his family's dojo always gave him time to think peacefully. The weather rarely detoured him from walking unless he knew he'd make Nari very unhappy and nervous if he did so, and even at some of those times he still walked with little guilt within him. The snow that subtly fell upon his body went, for the most part, unnoticed. The footsteps in the snow were silent and precise in there form as the wind quickly covered the imprints with white flakes.  
  
The ice blue eyes stole through the small whirlwinds of snow as if they were not even perceptible instead searching beyond the next step for any change in the road. But the road never changed, it was constant always, so Seiji closed his eyes and continued his walk serenely.  
  
As he came to his own small home he could hear people running through the diminutive dojo that was a part from the house. Out of curiosity he approached the side door slowly and quietly. With light fingers he slid the door open just a crack to be able to see inside.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Duh, a sword." The two girls stood with eyes transfixed upon the large no-datchi hanging in center of the wall.  
  
"Can we play with it?"  
  
Sanae made a sound and shook her small figure rapidly. "That be bad! It be big!"  
  
"I bet I could hold it!" The small raven-haired girl, Midori, ran over to join Aikyo and Tanria.  
  
"Why?! We just want to look at it!" Aikyo gave her sister a raspberry.  
  
"Awwwww…I'll tell!"  
  
"Tattle tail!"  
  
"Am not!" Sanae pouted.  
  
"Don't worry! Mommy takes it down all the time!" Tanria smiled and started to crawl on top of the small altar under the sword.  
  
"Why does she do that?"  
  
"Don't know, but Daddy usually stays out of the dojo then."  
  
"I want to hold it too!" Midori exclaimed loudly, a trait inherited from her father along with her full face.  
  
Shinji stood on the far side of the room next to the younger Shiko. Being both quiet and reserved they sat back in full readiness to run when something did go wrong. Sanae gave another gasp as she ran in an odd little waddle over to her brother.  
  
"They gonna get in trouble."  
  
"Am…not!" Aikyo grunted out as Tanria climbed on her back for more height.  
  
Seiji watched the whole escapade in a mixture of humor and duress. He would of course have to stop them before they did any damage to the 500 year old sword, or damage themselves whatever would come first, but on the same token he could not help but smile. The unstable ladder of limbs his daughter and her two older companions came up with was quite impressive. He glanced back over to the female twin and saw her impatience, as she was quite sure that something horrible would come from her sister and friends doing such a thing.  
  
With a soft smile and shake of the head, he composed himself, and then put on his father face. Seiji slide the door open and walked into the dojo. He heard Sanae first with her small squeak and rapid foot movement to hide behind her brother, even though he was shorter than her by almost a fourth an inch. Shiko, his son, gave him a few blinks and immediately knew what was to come, thus he went to inform mom.  
  
He glided across the dojo floor without much disturbance or making of noise. His arms slowly crossed in front of his chest as his feet stood apart giving him a sturdy stance. With a cough, which filled the room loudly, the rustling and grunting of limbs stopped.  
  
"I would advise you three to get down." Date no Seiji's voice was low but held a smooth power, as if the sword above them was being drawn from its sheath. "Now."  
  
"Oops." Midori's large eyes blinked.  
  
Tanria's face went completely in shock and she stared at her father. Being the less subtle of the three Aikyo looked at the older man, gasped, and fell off the altar. Of course, this caused equal pain for her two cohorts in crime as they came falling after her and unto the wooden floor.  
  
"You all know better."  
  
"Gomen Tousan." Tanria found herself caught and started to pout. Aikyo and Midori whispered out similar apologies.  
  
"Go inside."  
  
"We can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Mother said to stay out here. We were driving her nuts she said."  
  
"Ano…" He arched a golden eyebrow.  
  
"I told them they be in trouble…"  
  
Seiji let out a sound of limiting patience. "Arigato Sanae-chan. Please head back inside now." He gave all the children equal gazes. "The dojo is not a place for games. Do not come in here unless you expect to practice your Kendo or be taught it." This was the visiting children's one warning and he could see by their expressions that they understood. An inner frown formed though because this probably would be Tanria's hundredth warning. He was still at a loss at his daughter's stubbornness and improperness.  
  
"But Mommy kicked us out of the house Daddy."  
  
"She did?" Seiji gave his daughter a skeptical look.  
  
Tanria recognizing the look of an impending grounding, not to mention doom, stood up from the pile of limbs quickly. "It wasn't my fault!"  
  
"Not mine!"  
  
"Mine either!"  
  
"I didn't do a thing!"  
  
Seiji easily tuned out the girls' droning voices. He closed his eyes and let them attempt to dig themselves out of the trouble they were already in. Some how Shiko had managed to come back into the dojo silently enough for Seiji not to notice him. He was not surprised to find Shinji and Shiko smart enough not to argue when being caught, but instead stood behind him watching the girls fight. He could translate the look on their confused faces. Growing up in a household mostly of women a male usually found it in his best interest to stay quiet until the inevitable blame was either placed on him or went to some other poor low ranking sibling. Seiji had first hand experience with being raised in a woman-dominated family, not that you'd hear him or his grandfather admit to such.  
  
"Rokuni!"(Enough!)  
  
The four females mouths stopped immediately. He could hear Sanae run behind her brother again for protection in some form. As he opened his eyes he had to refrain from laughing at the site of the four girls' faces and the small fear that each held.  
  
"Inside now."  
  
"But Mom-"  
  
"Inside now!" He saw the girls' pout but was glad as they headed inside. He watched the procession being ended with Sanae and Shinji. He walked up to the small altar and reached for the sword. He reasoned it would be better to just put the large sword away for the time being instead of it being a temptation for the small children.  
  
"Tousan…"  
  
Seiji blinked only once before turning around towards the voice of his son. "Do you need something?"  
  
"I…" He bit his small lower lip before regaining the small courage he had built up. He stood straight, his hands at his sides and his chin out. "It was my fault they were in here."  
  
"It is?"  
  
"Hai. I was in here and they saw me and they came in from the outside."  
  
"Why were you in here?"  
  
The boy lowered his strawberry blond head gazing at the floor. "I wanted to try and practice by myself."  
  
"Then it's not your fault." Seiji sheathed the large blade. "People's curiosity is not your fault."  
  
"But if I wasn't in here-"  
  
"Your sister and her friends would have come in here eventually." He placed a large hand on his son's shoulder. "What did your mother say?"  
  
"She said that she was going to kill them…" The young boy smiled. "Told her that you caught them and then came back out here."  
  
"Let's go inside ourselves." Seiji started for the door of the dojo, extinguishing the lights as he walked by them.  
  
"You're not mad?" Shiko's voice held astonishment as he looked at his father with wide respectful eyes.  
  
"Iie." He smiled over his shoulder and pushed back the door. "Now come, supper will be soon."  
  
"Hai!"  
  
~^*~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*~^*~^~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*^~*^~*~^*  
  
"Bonzai!"  
  
"Cheater!"  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"You making mess!"  
  
"Shu Midori is king of the mountain!"  
  
"You can't be king you're a girl!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"Hey that's my blanket!"  
  
"Shiko! What are you doing?!"  
  
The small boy blushed and backed away. "N-nothing!"  
  
Midori only had enough time to give the young boy a rather curious look before being knocked off her mountain of pillows.  
  
"What are you all doing in there!" Nari's voice traveled from the kitchen.  
  
"Umm," Tanria looked at the others. "Nothing Mommy!" She lied as she looked around the living room.  
  
Shinji was pouting in a corner, still trying to untangle his small self from the jump rope and silly string they had put on him earlier. Shiko had quickly put Midori's backpack away after he realized that girls were truly scary. Sanae was off to the side gasping and squeaking watching her sister and the other girls perform gymnastics on the living room floor, couch, chairs, tables, and anything else they could find to launch themselves off of.  
  
"Midori!"  
  
Tanria snapped her head in the direction of the doorway and beheld a truly frightening site. Her mother, mad.  
  
Midori's stocky body was balancing on the back of the chair, stretched fully on her tip toes, while holding a stuffed toy of some sort high in the air from a jumping Sanae.  
  
"Aunt Nari! Help!" Sanae whined still jumping desperately for her toy. "Meanie!"  
  
"Tattle tail!"  
  
"Midori, down. Give Sanae back her stuffed dolphin. Shinji what is all over you?! Aikyo, put that vase down now! What happened to all the magazines on the coffee table? Where did this chocolate come from on my new couch?!"  
  
Tanria just watched her mother pace through the large room attempting to assemble some sort of control. She hid her Pockey covered fingers under her bottom as she saw Shinji get flipped and turned as her mother freed him from the silly string and jump rope. Midori had given back Sanae's toy and was happily claming the large chair for herself. She laid sprawled eagle and laughing as Shinji pouted at his aunt's attention. Sanae had made her way over to the scene next to Shiko and watched intently just in case the mother would forget something her own mother wouldn't have.  
  
"Your mom's funny when she gets mad." Aikyo whispered in Tanria's ear.  
  
"Hai." Tanria giggled.  
  
"All right. Everyone get ready for baths then bed." Nari grumbled as she threw the hands full of sticky strands away. "Shinji, you should go first."  
  
"Ok." The small auburn child said in a barely audible whisper. He made a face at how his fingers and his hair felt, unbelievably like super glue.  
  
"You're ticky." His twin sister patted his head. He frowned.  
  
"I told you that they were up to no good." Shiko scratched his head not sure how to help his cousin.  
  
"But we're not tired!"  
  
"I don't want to take a bath!" The raven-hair Midori ran from the chair and bolted from the room.  
  
"Midori! What are you doing?" Nari yelled after the quick departing child.  
  
"Want to make a run for it too?" Aikyo whispered again, already eyeing the kitchen. But, Tanria only shook her head.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Daddy…" Tanria didn't have to explain further as her father came in with Midori neatly tucked under his arm. "Can't run from Daddy…he just there."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I don't know. You just run anda POOF there Daddy."  
  
"My Daddy can do that too sometimes."  
  
"No, no, no, no, no!" Midori whined and thrashed as Seiji ascended the stairs to the bathroom.  
  
~^*~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*~^*~^~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*^~*^~*~^*  
  
Nari crawled onto her bed and gave a heavy sigh. Sleep threatened to take her but she fought it as the need to get a quiet bath over rode the call of dreamland. She deftly walked into the small full bath that connected to her and Seiji's bedroom.  
  
She sat on the side of the toilet and watched the water level rise. She gave a wrinkled nose to the small bottle of bath bubbles Yuri had given her almost a year ago. Small fingers unscrewed the bottle's top and poured the liquid into the pooling water. The old white, clawed foot, porcelain tub quickly filled with hot water. She tossed the drenched clothes from her earlier bath with the children to the side of the small room. Slipping into the warmed water she closed her eyes. Seiji was finishing up with the boys now then the children were supposed to go to bed.  
  
The small headache pounded against her forehead where wet red strands of bangs were plastered against the fine skin. She doubted that the children would go to sleep that easily especially with them all in the same room. Nari considered just letting them sleep in separate bedrooms as they did last night, but she thought that the idea wouldn't have had the same success twice. Most of the children were dead tired last night and had no energy to do anything that would be disruptive. Tonight she just tried to picture getting up jumping to room to room and repeating the same commands over and over again. With them in the living room it was one easy walk and not wasting her voice.  
  
The bubbles in the bath surrounded the small body as she scooted down farther into the water. An image of killing certain children after finding her living room in turmoil, not to mention, certain young male children strung from odd contraptions of more silly string and jump rope, only made her moan. Slipping farther into the frothy soapy water she attempted to forget everything.  
  
~^*~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*~^*~^~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*^~*^~*~^*  
  
After Seiji did his last check for the couch monsters, along with the kitchen, living room, and basement monsters- because he just couldn't forget about them either- he turned off the lights. The children had two night-lights to help keep them safe during the remainder of the night.  
  
As he entered the bedroom he noticed his wife reading her book and ignoring his presence. Seiji knew better and headed for the bathroom to get his own shower and change. By the time the simple routine was done, Nari had turned off the lights heading to sleep. He was surprised expecting something more, at least to be yelled at, for leaving her with the six children all alone. He would have to talk to her tomorrow morning before the children rose. Seiji thought it would be wise to take Shiko and Shinji and perhaps Sanae tomorrow with him when he went to the dojo. The two boys would behave well he knew and the girl was usually quiet as long as there was no one to tell on. He hoped that if he did that he wouldn't find his wife in mists of a nervous breakdown when he came home tomorrow.  
  
The dead of night was always that in the house of Date, dead with silence. The problem with the rule though was the children were not privileged to knowing it, yet. The silence was kept for a short time. Wedged between his two sisters Shinji himself was about to drift happily into a soft land of dreams before being acutely jabbed in the stomach.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"I don know…I'm still learning."  
  
"Baby."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Shhhhhh!!!!"  
  
Shinji sighed mournfully and hugged his stuffed whale tsuki. It didn't take long until he could hear sleeping bags being opened and feel bodies moving around him. If he stayed still perhaps they would leave him out of the commotion; but two gentle hands, which belonged to his sister, told him he wouldn't be able to hide as she shook his body back and forth.  
  
As he raised his head he saw Aikyo digging into one of her play bags and taking out several odd items. He was able to identify a few of them from seeing his mother use them but he knew one thing, they all mostly smelled.  
  
"Dey gots make up!" Sanae declared in her best silent exclamation, which was not always so silent.  
  
He looked over and saw Shiko almost completely asleep being left alone. Lucky. He rubbed his eyes and looked back over to Tanria, Aikyo, and Midori as they all eyed the items. Girls were and are weird.  
  
"So?" Shinji whined as small sea green eyes closed again.  
  
"Lets put some on."  
  
Midori blanched some and only shook her head. "Lets go find some good food."  
  
"What's this?" Tanria shook a small bottle.  
  
"I don't know. But Mommy puts it on her eyes and makes them black."  
  
She blinked as she still perused through the items curiously. "Oh."  
  
"My Mommy doesn't put a lot of this on." Tanria pursed her lips and applied a bright pink lipstick to them.  
  
"You guys are gonna look weird now." Midori said as she watched intently in the dark.  
  
"You tok Mommy's make up" Sanae frowned at her sister.  
  
"She was not using it anyways." Aikyo said trying to maneuver the mascara brush.  
  
"ohhhhh…"  
  
Shinji got up and relocated his small self closer to the only other male presence in the room. Shiko had by now fallen completely asleep and seemed to be resting comfortably. He crawled back into his own sleeping bag and once again tried to fall asleep.  
  
Children at that age still did not understand that sound travels, and Nari could hear the small chatter, which woke her from her much needed sleep. The impulse to go down was there, but there was no way she would be leaving her warm bed for the ankle biters.  
  
"Seiji… go downstairs and take care of them." When she heard no response she promptly placed her cold feet on his bare legs. "Seiji."  
  
"Nanio?" He moved his legs away from the frigid toes.  
  
"Go check on the children, I have a headache." With a small smile on her face she heard Seiji start to rise from the bed with no protest. The hiss of the silk kimono from the wall was the only sound before he opened the door with a heavy sigh as he readied himself for the children. Now content hugging one of her pillows closer, she slowly started to drift back to sleep.  
  
The children heard the bedroom door open and promptly tried to assume poses of innocence, minus Shinji and Shiko who were cuddled somewhere in a corner trying to stay away from the commotion of the girls. As unhappy violet eyes peered down from the stairway at the young girls, two large arms crossed in front of his chest. The small hyper bodies flung themselves towards individual sleeping bags followed by much rustling before silence filled the house once more.  
  
Aikyo looked over to Tanria in the dark and whispered. "Your dad is really scary."  
  
"Nah…he just looks tired."  
  
"I told ya we'd gets in trouble!"  
  
"Shhh!!" The hissing filled the room before the loud thunderous, not too mention slightly irritated, voice came from upstairs  
  
"Date Tanria I don't want to hear another word for the rest of the night."  
  
Tanria's eyes went wide before glaring at Sanae with cold vengeance.  
  
Midori poked the younger girl. "Good going loud mouth now we're all in trouble."  
  
"Don't poke her." Aikyo growled at Midori seeing Sanae pout at the hard poke.  
  
"Then keep your sister quiet."  
  
"Why don't you be quiet?"  
  
By the time Seiji was able to get to his room the full fledge pillow fight had already started to commence. Slipping off the kimono he laid back into bed next to his wife.  
  
"They're not quiet."  
  
He sighed and turned on his side, not facing her. "They'll wear each other out soon enough and fall asleep on their own."  
  
"They could break something."  
  
"We'll replace it."  
  
"They could hurt themselves."  
  
"We'll hear the screaming and crying." A shrill growl came from behind his back and Seiji just pretended to fall back to sleep. It was only a matter of moments before the noise level rose and rose and rose until it had risen to a point where Nari had deemed it worth her cold feet on the backside of his thighs.  
  
"Nari-"  
  
"Don't Nari me." She cut in meeting his eyes as he turned over to look at his, beautiful, wife at one in the morning. With saying nothing else Seiji got up once more to head downstairs to the rather loud children. His trek was a slow one as he tried his best to contain the amount of anger that was rising inside him.  
  
This time beyond the darkness he could make out strewn sleeping bags, haphazard bedding, and lashing pillows soaring through the air on their own accord.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?"  
  
Perhaps it was the surprise, or maybe the lack of intelligent thought that early in the morning, or just maybe it was because she was Shu Rei Faun's daughter, but nonetheless Midori exclaimed something a little too loudly as Seiji stared at the girls.  
  
"Oh shit!" The moment the words left her, hands clasped around her mouth as if trying to capture the already escaped letters.  
  
The air in the room was quickly sucked out and depleted as the other children gasped and awaited the hand of God to strike down the raven hair girl.  
  
"Well, I think that's been enough play for tonight."  
  
Midori took no time recovering her own sleeping bag quickly and laying down. The other girls took fast pursuit not overlooking the lenient action Date Seiji was letting them get out of trouble. If they only knew the smile that was behind the cold stare, the laughter hidden behind the thick blond hair that danced in his one covered eye. The response had taken him by surprise, and even for a moment he had a loud vengeance for the outburst, but, sadly enough, he would have never expected less from Shu's daughter. He could only pray that Tanria and the others wouldn't pick up as quickly.  
  
He ascended the stairs for the second time of the night. He was not sure when the two boys had passed him on the stairs, he was not even sure if he had even heard them walking to his room, but what he did know as he walked into his bedroom was that his son had easily taken his part of the bed and Shinji was sprawled out on the small loveseat by the window.  
  
"Yari, yari…"He rubbed the back of his neck and strategically moved his son into the center of the bed, luckily once Shiko got to sleep it took something just less than a youja invasion to wake him back up.  
  
Seiji only hoped that he would be able to get some rest in the next four hours as he closed his eyes and drifted off to the sound of Shiko's light snoring.  
  
Too bad sleep wasn't an option. What the usually observant Date forgot to notice on the last escapade downstairs were the number of opened boxes of pocky…and sugar.  
  
Sanae attempted to close her eyes and go to sleep like she was told to, but her mind was racing and she knew the other girls were up also. The truth is that the quietest children were always the ones to be the most afraid of, and for good reason. Crawling from her bedding and scrambling onto her unsteady legs she wandered into the dimly lit kitchen.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sanae jumped in the air from the surprising voice.  
  
"I was thirsty…"  
  
Midori sighed and walked over to the large refrigerator. "You're too small to reach everything." She pushed one of the kitchen stools up to the side of the open door and began to climb.  
  
"Am not!" Sanae pouted with a defeated look on her face.  
  
"What are you two doing?"  
  
"I'm getting her some water."  
  
"Get me some juice while you're up there."  
  
"Ai-chan you can get it yourself."  
  
"But you're already up there!"  
  
"Ok. Ok. Ok."  
  
By the time Midori was able to climb down to the other girls once again they had been able to form themselves a small late night picnic. It comprised of a basic diet of natural sugar and carbohydrates. Fuel of champions for the inner demons at two in the morning.  
  
"We need to be quiet unless Daddy will come back down….again." Tanria licked the traces of natural sugar from her fingertips. She would grow to have her mother's hands, small and delicate.  
  
"Yeah, good going Diao Chan." Aikyo stuck out her tongue at the girl that was hidden behind the large box of cereal.  
  
"What did I do?!" Big wide eyes blinked.  
  
"You're lucky." Tanria scrunched her nose. "Last time I used that word I was grounded for two weeks."  
  
Midori shrugged between chews. "Mom uses it all the time when she tries to cook."  
  
"Oh dears." Sanae yawned, half asleep, and left half of her limp body drift onto the kitchen table.  
  
"Hey, you can't fall asleep now." Aikyo frowned poking her sister's arm.  
  
"But I's tireds." Sanae rubbed her eyes and whined.  
  
Midori made a scoff type sound and jumped from her chair. "Only babies can't stay up late."  
  
Sanae sniffled. "I'm not a baby!"  
  
"Jeez, lay off Midori." Aikyo went to consol her drowsy sibling.  
  
"Well… I'm right."  
  
"You always think you're right."  
  
"Because I am!"  
  
Tanria just gave the girl a look her mother would have been proud of, full of aristocracy and pure attitude. "You're only right because you're too dumb to know that you're wrong."  
  
That began round three of the night. Before the girls knew it they had made their way to the living room, little powdered footprints marking where they had been. In the morning all would be surprised that nothing had been broken or accidentally smashed to pieces. Tumbling bodies and tired voices filled the corners of the rooms and then flowed towards the center once more.  
  
This time there was no sound warning them, no door opening; no foot falls on the stair steps, no deep growl to alarm them to his presence. There was just an eerie chill in the room, and they knew. Not a word was spoken.  
  
He stood arms crossed with one wild violet eye revealed and it seemed to glow in the dark, but he said not a word. He just stared as the one visible eye narrowed. Deft footsteps accompanied his descent into the living room. The small bodies stood in mild fixation and fear for innumerable, mute, silent seconds.  
  
Aikyo's tired wide eyes looked to Tanria for explanation but her friend only had an expression of complete fear on her face, which only meant one thing, this was really, really, really bad. Slithering to their bedrolls they never took their eyes off the older man. He stood like a looming shadow in the living room, and even as he sat down upon one of the chairs he seemed to take up immense space. Even Midori did not say a word in fear of the one eyed demon that seemed to have taken the place of Tanria's father.  
  
He did not leave the room, did not rise from his chair, nor did he utter one sound during the entire time he stared at them. They knew at this point that their new night sentinel would not leave, and that they would really be in trouble when the sun finally rose that morning.  
  
~^*~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*~^*~^~*^~*~^~*^~*~^*~^~*^~*^~*~^*  
  
Yuri bit her lip as they came around the corner of the main street. She had been anxious to pick up the children since that morning. The snow in northern Japan had begun to come down heavier than usual and she was worried over being able to get to the children in time. And she was driving Shin nuts over it.  
  
"I thought you were the one who said not to worry?"  
  
"Shut up." Yuri wrinkled her nose at her husband and nearly jumped out of the Barracuda as they pulled up to the small house.  
  
Yuri didn't have to wait long though as two small blueberries came from the house in snowsuits. Their faces were barely visible through the winter hats and scarves.  
  
"Mommy!" Shinji clung to his mother quickly. His sister had a few more problems with the snow and had slipped and fell.  
  
Shin went and picked up the small blue bundle that was his youngest daughter. "Don't run so fast."  
  
"Daddy" two snowy mittens smacked him on his cheeks as Sanae squealed in delight.  
  
"Have fun?" Shin held her at his hip as they walked inside together.  
  
"Uh huh! We stayed up late!"  
  
"That is good."  
  
"Were you good?" Yuri asked as they entered and saw Nari herding the other children into the living room.  
  
"Yup!" Sanae answered before her brother could say a word, not that he said much anyway.  
  
Yuri went over quickly and hugged Nari trying not to laugh at the look of exhaustion and impatience that covered her best friend's face.  
  
"How did it go?"  
  
"Fine I suppose." Nari ran a hand through her hair. "They're almost ready. They would have been ready if they hadn't all decided they needed to go to the bathroom again at the same time."  
  
"Thankyou for taking them for the weekend. We'll drop Midori off later, given that we're going to met Shu on the way back home."  
  
"Mommy! I don't want Aikyo to go!" Tanria frowned in a pitiful way.  
  
Aikyo sniffled, more from exhaustion than sadness. "I want to stay longer Mommy please."  
  
"Kassan! Midori just opened my room and now there is snow in it!"  
  
"I did not!"  
  
"Long drive." Nari looked at the kids. "I would pity you but…"  
  
"Was it that bad?" Yuri smiled as Nari just responded with a look of death. "Oh I see. Well let me help get the kids ready ne?"  
  
"See me stopping you?"  
  
Shin slowly walked the short distance to the diminutive dojo apart from the house. He had to admit he could see why coming only a short distance from your home could be both relaxing and secure. He brushed off the snow from his shoes as best he could before stepping into the room.  
  
"I figured you'd be in here." His auburn hair was tussled from the wind and he attempted to smooth it into to some bearable form.  
  
Seiji was seated in the butterfly form, eyes closed and hands supine. He opened his eyes and rose to his feet in one fluid motion.  
  
"Nari kick you out or are you just hiding in general?" Shin tried to keep his voice in good humor but had great difficulty doing so.  
  
"More like I came out here for my own retreat." The blond warrior tried not too glare to harshly at his friend.  
  
"The kid's behaved as normal then." Shin stated simply leaning against the solid frame of the dojo.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Arigatou."  
  
Seiji sighed. "Hai. So when are you going to take Tanria and Shiko?"  
  
Shin blinked in surprise. "Nani?"  
  
"Well fair is fair…" Seiji smirked as he picked up a kendo stick. 


End file.
